The Canadian government has announced an $86 million funding to help internationally educated healthcare professionals (IEHP) work in Canada. The funding will focus on 15 organizations across Canada to speed up the accreditation process for IEHPs. This effort aims to address the challenges faced by the healthcare workforce in Canada and the long wait times and difficulty in finding a family physician.
The funding will provide support for approximately 6600 IEHPs to get their international credentials recognized and provide relevant Canadian work experience in their intended fields. The initiatives will reduce barriers to foreign credential recognition for IEHPs, facilitate labor mobility between jurisdictions, and provide other supports such as childcare, transportation costs, mentoring, and coaching.
Healthcare occupations are one of the five categories chosen for prioritization in the category-based draws by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The healthcare sector in Canada, including nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, laboratory technicians, and respiratory therapy, has continued to experience high job vacancies with 90,000 positions remaining unfilled in the second quarter of 2023.
Foreign trained medical professionals have found it difficult to get proper licensing in Canada. However, the Canadian government has been making efforts to address this issue, such as announcing $115 million over five years starting in 2022-2023 for the Foreign Credential Recognition Program. This program works with provinces, territories, regulatory bodies, and other organizations to support efficient and faster credential recognition system.
The latest funding announcement is part of the Canadian government’s ongoing efforts to support newcomers in settling and adapting to life in Canada. The Settlement Program, managed by IRCC, offers employment-related services and helps with foreign credential recognition.
With high levels of immigration expected in the coming years, it is important for newcomers to be able to fully use their skills, experience, and talents in Canada’s healthcare sector. If you are an internationally educated healthcare professional interested in working in Canada, find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration.
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